Hands-On - Piaget Altiplano 38mm Hand-Wound Blue Dial Pink Gold
If there’s one watch that perfectly defines the concept of an elegant, ultra-thin dress watch, it is the Piaget Altiplano. Refined, discreet, mechanically interesting and understated, this icon born in 1957 designed by Valentin Piaget has stood the test of time to become one of the definitive “tuxedo” watches. Already available in a very (too) restrained white and white dial version, this year the brand adds a new pink gold and blue dial version to its collection of Altiplano 38mm Hand-Wound watches. And yes, it remains ultra-thin, ultra-elegant, ultra-Piaget.The story behind the Altiplano starts with the creation of a movement, the Calibre 9P, which is known for being one of the thinnest mechanical calibres ever created. This movement, seemingly simple due to a display reduced to only two hands, was, however, an immense technical achievement: it was only 2mm in height – and back then, there were no CNC machines, computer-aided design or LIGA technologies. Every

Chopard L.U.C Perpetual Chrono Titanium Limited Edition - Review
The Chopard L.U.C Perpetual Chrono, Chopard's answer to perpetual calendar chronographs of Haute Horlogerie powerhouses like Patek Philippe, Vacheron Constantin, and A. Lange & Sohne, was first launched in 2016 as a limited edition of 20 pieces. The 45mm watch in Fairmined 18k white gold offered a unique fusion of avant-garde looks paired with a highly traditionally decorated movement. 2021 sees the L.U.C Perpetual Chrono, now in titanium, face-lifted with small tweaks that lead to a more coherent and ultimately more refined package.There is no getting around it: measuring 45mm in diameter and just over 15mm in thickness, the Chopard L.U.C Perpetual Chrono is a large watch. It retains the same case shape and finish as the 2016 white gold edition, meaning vertically brushed case flanks, polished lug hoods, and a polished domed bezel. The first major update to the 2021 model comes in the choice of case metal - Chopard opted to go with surface-hardened Grade 5 titanium instead of prec

Chris Grainger-Herr on the New 2020 IWC Portugieser Collection, the Big Pilot Safari and COVID-19 (warning: long read) - Monochrome Watches
I guess I need to start this interview with an apology. Sorry, this interview is long, very long, comprising close to 3,000 words. However, the conversation with Chris Grainger-Herr, CEO of IWC Schaffhausen, was great and there was just so much to say about the new Portugiesers. We had the conversation two weeks ago, in the midst of the COVID-19 lockdown. Chris was in his office, in Schaffhausen, and we had a zoom meeting. It’s weird, not sitting together for a talk, but it is what it is and I guess for the foreseeable future this is going to be the new normal.?Personally I am quite pleased with the new Portugieser line-up; there’s a lot to like! Of course, I’d love to put the new Portugieser Perpetual Calendar on the wrist and see/feel how the 42mm diameter works with such a classic beauty. And the Portugieser Automatic 40 with its small seconds sub-dial at 6 o’clock looks fabulous and I’m curious how the old Portugieser and the new one with in-house move

The Petrolhead Corner: H. Moser & Cie and BWT Alpine F1
For the second week running, I’m going to cover the fast-paced world of Formula 1, as I was lucky enough to be invited by H. Moser & Cie and the BWT Alpine F1 team for a factory tour and a one-day visit to the 2024 Silverstone Grand Prix. For those who have been following our Petrolhead Corner, which includes personal experiences from time to time, it’s no secret I love F1 racing and have been following it for about 30 years now. Weirdly, I have yet to visit an actual F1 race weekend but I’m not going to bore you with details on why that hasn’t happened yet. Instead, I will share my experience setting foot in the Enstone compounds of Alpine, talking to Pierre Gasly for a bit, and paying a visit to the Silverstone track on Friday.Front row, third through fifth from the left; our editor Xavier Markl, Alpine racing driver Pierre Gasly, and myself.The BWT Alpine F1 Team might not be the oldest on paper, as the name has been around since 2021, yet the history beh

Omega Speedmaster Mark II Chronograph Co-Axial - Hands-on with live photos & price - Monochrome Watches
In terms of icons, the Omega Speedmaster is definitely a big one. If not the most iconic watch ever, it can easily be categorized as one of the 5 watches to know (and to own if you’re a collector). Of course, everyone knows about the “Moonwatch”, the Speedmaster Professional, the one that has been worn on the Moon by Buzz Aldrin and that is still in the actual Omega catalogue. However, there’s another vintage edition that should tickle your interest, the Speedmaster Mark II, a very 1970s watch that also has a link with NASA and space research. That’s the one that Omega decided to re-issue in 2014 and here is our hands-on with the modern?Omega Speedmaster Mark II Chronograph Co-Axial.Historical BackgroundWhat is the (original) Omega Speedmaster Mark II? At the end of the 1960s (in 1967 to be precise), Omega?decided to redefine the Speedmaster and to improve its resistance to extreme temperatures. NASA wanted to create the perfect?Space Watch. The goal was t